Jet washing process



April 13, 1965 Filed June 5, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 OO O ' 50, I00 FI/ MIN.

0 o O i I0, 25 FT./ MIN.

DATA FOR I60F l I l 720 960 I200 I440 V (IN./ SEC.)

JET VELOCITY FIG I ARTHUR G. BROWN PAUL H. WENDT INVENTORS.

2am I ATTORNEY April 13, 1965 Filed June 5, 1961 A. G. BROWN ETAL JET WASHING PROCESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T 50, 70, 80,l00 FT. IMIN.

20 FT/MIN.

X l0 FTJMIN.

DATA FOR I90F.

V (IN./ SEO.)

JET VELOCITY FIG 2 ARTHUR G. BROWN PAUL H. WENDT INVENTORS.

ZJMJCQM ATTORNEY April 13, 1965 A. G. BROWN ETAL 3,177,505

JET WASHING PROCESS 3 sheets sheet 3 Filed June 5, 1961 ARTHUR 6. BROWN PAUL H. WENDT INVENTORS.

BY MM 23% ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,177,505 JET WASHING PRGCESS Arthur G. Brown, Menlo Park, and Paul H. Wendi,

Arcadia, Califi, assignors, by memo assignments, to

Jet Stream Products, line, Reno, Nev., a corporation of Nevada Filed June 5, 1961, Ser. No. name 11 Claims. (Cl. 8-451) This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 789,327 filed January 27, 1959, now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to the washing of articles and materials and, more particularly, to a method of washing clothes, yarn, textiles and other pieces of fabric and like materials. 7

It is anticipated that the invention will be most widely applied in connection with cleaning or laundering operations wherein relatively high speed washing of textile materials and other fabrics is desired. However, it is understood that the invention is of general application and may also find wide application in other operations.

From time immemorial, clothes and like fabrics have been cleaned by subjecting them to mechanical agitation in water, preferably by agitation in the presence of heated water containing a cleaning agent, such as a soap or detergent, or other assists. Although many different methods have been employed for carrying out such operations, they have commonly involved arrangements wherein energy is applied in the washing operation at a relatively slow rate and in an essentially random manner.

A variety of proposals have been made prior hereto for speeding up the Washing process. Many of these have never resulted in practical machines because of excessive power, water or chemical requirements, or because the auxiliary mechanical devices required for scrubbing or agitating the cloth would lead to excessive wear. These and other problems commonly encountered have pointed up the need for improved methods, particularly for use in the high speed washing of light Weight or delicate fabrics and of clothing and other materials requiring relatively frequent cleaning.

We have discovered that high speed washing of the foregoing and other types of materials may be accomplished by utilizing hydrodynamic forces, without the necessity of employing auxiliary mechanical means for scrubbing or agitating the fabric. We have found that, under certain conditions, the energy and Washing fluid requirements can be reduced to very low values and the washing can be accomplished in remarkably short periods of time. For instance, in both home and commercial washing of clothes, it has been quite common to wash the clothes in agitation devices from time periods ranging from or minutes to 35 minutes or even longer. By contrast, in accordance with the present invention, clothes can be cleansed eifectively under conditions wherein any small portion of the fabric is exposed to the hydrodynamic action of the wash solution for periods of time ranging from about 1 to about 5 milliseconds, or even less. Thus, it is possible under these conditions for a full-size bed sheet to be thoroughly cleansed in about 4 seconds or less.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved method or process useful in washing operations of the type described.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved washing method or process suited for use in high speed washing operations.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved washing method or process useful in high speed washing operations performed in connection with the cleaning or laundering of textile and other fabric materials.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide an improved washing method or process useful in high speed washing operations performed to remove dirt and other foreign or undesired particles from textile and other fabric materials, the arrangement being such that relatively frequent washing operations may be performed without unduly decreasing the, useful life of the materials.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of the process and reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a chart showing the relationship between the jet velocity wash solution and the efiiciency factor of the process at one temperature of the wash solution;

FIGURE 2 is a chart similar to the chart of FIGURE 1 showing the relationship between the jet velocity of the wash solution and the eiiiciency factor of the process at another temperature of the wash solution; and,

FIGURE 3 is a schematic representation showin mainly in cross section, a laundry machine by means of which the washing process of the invention may be carried on.

In accordance with the invention, the washing of a piece or sheet of fabric material, for example, is accomplished by subjecting successive portions thereof to a stream of washing fluid in the form of one or more high velocity jets. The velocity of each jet is preferably higher than about 360 inches per second. The material is moved across or through the path of the stream which 7 may have a relatively wide dimension in one direction, such as generally cross-wise of the direction of movernent of the material with respect to the stream. However, the stream emanates from one or more jet openings having at least one relatively narrow dimension, preferably less than about 0.05 inch, such as generally parallel to the direction of movement of the material with respect to the stream or jet openings.

In a typical application of the invention, the washing of cloth fabric is accomplished by utilizing a stream including one or more narrow jets of wash solution impinging on the cloth at high velocity, the jet or jets being so disposed that a thin high-velocity stream of washing fluid extends across the cloth from one side edge to the other, with the stream sweeping from one end of the fabric to the other as the fabric moves or is advanced through the equipment in a direction generally parallel to the narrow dimension of the jet stream. It will be seen that, under these conditions, each successive portion of the fabric is subjected to a more or less controlled amount of kinetic energy, resulting from the jet action, during a period of time determined by the speed of the cloth, and without random and unnecessary duplication of application of energy. If the velocity of the liquid in the jet stream is maintained above a certain minimum value, as aforesaid, and the thickness or smallest dimension of the jet opening is within a certain range, as aforesaid, it is possible for thorough cleaning of the fabric to be achieved with a relatively low usage of wash solution and expenditure or" energy.

It will be understood that, in order to handle situations involving a wide variation in degree of soiling from one piece of clothing or fabric to the next, it may be advantageous in many instances to employ more than one of the jet streams. An arrangement may be used whereby Patented Apr. l3, 11965 5 50000200D0000000000000000000320000 WWW-MWWWMWW40A0O030000050068205000004 5570000 023 $0 9 4-5 om 2 4 om2 0 L 2010 315 3.1 1 m%mmB4.23 1 %12162 1112 azarafiammalaitaeaaa%maxmm%mmezai 111 33 11 111 2 1 129 229h4 713966793235224850772049 32294354003 84 0 13 44621063156030 .3930 429788M68371098345$68M8 Table Table II Sample No.

an operator may subject the fabric in some instances to several washing actions, at his discretion. If desired, the usage of the additional streams may be determined by photoelectric or other automatic devices employed for monitoring the degree of soiling, either as initially'present. 5 or as remaining after each washing action.

The present invention,therefore,'lends itself ,to the employment of completely automatic, continuous machinery in an arrangement whereby a fabric may be inserted into the machine at one end and successiveportions of 1 the fabric will be subjected to the cleaning operation, s rinsing, bleaching, scouring, and otheroperations, as well i as drying, in a total elapsedtime which is relatively short.

In fact, the total operation may be accomplished in less than one minute, with the actual cleaning or soil removal 15 operation requiring only a very small fraction of this 7 time and with other washing operations, such as rinsing and bleaching, being likewise accomplished very quickly due to the employment of jet streams in accordance-with the invention. r

In order to evaluate various washing methods and' detergents, standard fabrics which have been soiled in accordance with a prescribed formula are commonly employed... One such formula is that contained in US. Bu- 1 reau of Ships specification SIS-47 (INT), Soil Cloth No. 32 28 wherein white cotton cloth is soiled with lamp'black, 33.. in a mixture of fats, oils and various hydrophilic'colloid 2%: substances and baked, in an oven; giving a percent reflectance of 26x2. Such soiled fabrics are extremely diificult to clean and serveas a severe testof washing 30 39 operations. When such a fabric is subjectedto commerf cial laundryoperations wherein it is washed in'a conven- 42 tional rotating drum for a periodof 25 minutes, a final' ii Sample No.

reflectance ofSOfisthe best ordinarily obtainable. A reflectance of 50-indicates that the cotton cloth, with re- 5 sidual soil, reflects 50% as much white light as a magnesiumoxide standard when measured in a standard reflec-v I tometer. I a

In order to demonstrate the drastically diiferent result I which is obtained when the process of the present inven tion is used, as compared witlrp a 7 15.. cloth was moved under the jet stream. By varying pres- 50 is: sure of the jet stream, the 'speedat which the cloth is 20: 21.. 22.. 23..

rior art processes, stand- 7 The solution was, maintained at a temperature of 160 F. and consistedof 0.03%. of a high titer soap and 0.006% alkali (anhydrous orthosilicate).

a and also 'thefamount' of solution employed. When samples of ,sta'ndard'dirty ard dirty samples of cloth were washed in a machine in which a high velocity jet stream of: hot wash'solutio'n' I impinged upon the cloth at various jet'velocities and for various contact times.

A high pressure pump was employed to drive the washing solution against and through the cloth 'as' the moved, and the number of passes of the cloth (number of jet streams) one canarrive at thea'mount ofwashing required to secure a given cleaning eflector reflectance. For the purpose of the present study, a reflectance value I ,55 24-- of was selected as being typicalof present commercial laundering practice. From experiments in which the, jet a stream velocity andthe contact time were .varied the conditions required to give a reflectance .reading of 50 could be determined, One .can'then calculate the amount 'of 6.0 32 energy which wasap'plied to each unit area of cloth'to secure the desired cleaning 'efie'ct cloth were washed under various conditions, the data'in Tables I and II were obtainedr In these tables, the headings indicate! v-Jet stream'velocity in inches per second. h]et stream thickness in mils (thousandths of an inch); V cloth velocity in feet'per minute. 7

The et stream velocity, v (in/sec.) is related to the 7 measured flow rate; F (gal/mil bythe'relation where h is the thickness of the jet stream in mils and 1 its width in inches (usually the width of the fabric being cleaned).

The contact time, or residence time, T (in millisecends) is defined by the relation 5Nh T where N is the number of passes (jet streams) required to accomplish a cleaning corresponding to a reflectance of 50 and V is the velocity of the cloth (ft/min.) in passing through the jet streams.

The energy (joules/in?) applied to the fabric to achieve a reflectance of 50 is given by at a temperature of 160 F. where F, 1, h, N, and V have the same definitions as above. I

The volume of wash solution required (per sq. in. of fabric) to achieve a cleaning corresponding to a reflectance of 50, is calculated from the relation Where the symbols have their previous meanings and units. In practice, both the total energy requirements and the amount of wash solution applied to the material must be kept at a minimum. The overall efficiency of the process can therefore be described in terms of a cost factor B 56 obtained by multiplying together the numbers shown for these quantities in Table I. FIG. 1 shows a summary of these data, together with additional data from a large number of experiments, plotted to show the relationship between the overall cost factor and the jet stream velocity v. FIG. 2 shows the same relationship for a wash solution at 190 F. containing 0.1% high titer soap and 0.02% alkali. In accordance with the present invention the washing is carried out under conditions whereby an EG value of not over 30 is employed.

It will be seen from the graphs that when the velocity of the jet stream is low, large amounts of energy and of wash solution are required and the process is inefficient. As the velocity of the jet stream is increased to a value of about 360 in./sec., the amounts of energy and of wash solution suddenly drop to very low values and one suddenly achieves a high degree of cleaning efl'lciency.

We have therefore found that if the fabric is exposed to a jet stream of the kind described, in which the velocity of the stream is greater than about 360 in./sec., an extremely eflicient cleaning action is achieved in a short amount of time and at a low total expenditure of energy and wash solution. This, in turn, enables one to provide for an automatic, continuous washing machine which has heretofore not proved practical.

' The jet stream employed may be obtained from a nozzle in the form of a single, long, narrow slot set at right angles to the path of travel of the material through the machine. Although a single thin jet stream impinging on the cloth from one side edge to the other and sweeping along the length of the cloth as it passes under the jet is so obtained, it will be recognized that equivalent or otherwise suitable action can also be obtained using various other arrangements. For instance, it may be advantageous for the jet stream, in order to achieve mechanical strength and simplicity in the nozzle, to be provided by a staggered series of fiat jets located alternatively forward and backward of the center line of the nozzle structure and so disposed that essentially no overlap of the jets occurs.

The jet or jets forming the stream are preferably obtained from one or more nozzles having thin slots or other openings extending from about 5 to about 50 mils (thousandths of an inch) in the dimension thereof parallel "to the general direction of movement of the fabric with respect to the nozzle structure when the fabric is passing across the path of the jet stream. The narrower openings are preferable in that conditions for eificient cleansing are more readily achieved, but the openings are limited in minimum thickness by practical considerations of hazard of plugging from lint or other particles accumulating in the wash solution.

The distance between the jet nozzle and the material being washed is preferably small and may be 1 /2 inches or smaller in some instances. It is important that the nozzle be placed close enough to the material being washed so that the jet stream particles do not break up into relatively slow moving droplets before striking the cloth being washed, i.e., it is important to have a continuous jet action against the cloth; otherwise, some of the energy of the jet stream is lost and the overall eiiiciency of the operation is thereby decreased. Experiments have shown that a jet stream velocity higher than about 360 inches per second can be maintained with a nozzle-to-fabric distance ranging from less than 1 /2 inches upward, with considerable success being obtained at distances of about 7 inches using readily available pumping equipment to develop pressure in the nozzle.

It can be seen from the examples in the tables and in the figures that greater cleaning efficiencies are achieved if the velocity of the cloth through the machine is relatively high. We prefer to carry out our washing process at cloth speeds of about 50 ft. per min. or greater. In a unitary piece of laundry equipment used for washing, ironing, etc., in a continuous process, an upper limit of velocity of the cloth of around ftjmin. is presently set by the speed of commercial ironing equipment which might be employed in conjunction with our process, but it will be recognized that speeds much greater than this could be efficiently employed.

Where water is used as the washing medium, the temperatures can be those which are readily'available in commercial laundries, e.g., from F. to F, or higher. Conventional detergents or soaps and washing assists may be employed as in present laundry practice. it will be recognized that, although particular reference has been made to the cleaning of fabrics or clothes with aqueous wash solutions, the invention is not limited to such systems and may also be applied to the cleaning of other more or less porous or even solid materials. Also, the invention may make use of other cleansing fluids, such as hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons and the like, with or without soaps or other assists, as in dry cleaning or other processes.

FIGURE 3, which forms a part of this application, shows a practical embodiment of a machine which employs the principles of the present invention. This machine is obviously not the only machine which can be employed to carry out the process of the present invention. Among others which can be employed, for example, are those wherein the fabric is carried on a perforated drum or hung over a line which moves continuously and exposes the fabric to the washing process while it is held in a vertical position.

Turning now to a description of the machine shown in FIGURE 3, the machine has a housing 4 with an entrance port 6 and an exit port 8. Two endless belts, 10 and 12, are provided for initially conveying the clothes into the washer. These belts are driven in synchronism by conventional means not shown and the lower belt 12 extends outside of the machine over the pulley 14 so that fabrics can be placed thereon and transported into the machine.

As illus rated, each of the belts 10 and 12 is formed of parallel stainless steel wires. In this manner, it is simple to provide interlocking belts so that several relatively short runs of belts can be used in the machine rather than single long runs.

As the cloth enters the machine, it is acted upon first by the streams emanating from jet 16 and jet 18, each of which is shown as'a two-headed jet. The material is ,supporting the fabric material on a movable rigid support, continuously moving the support and fabric material to These jet streams are shown sup plied from a tank 20 7 containing wash solution, which is". passed through the employed might be smaller or pump 22 and filter 24 and through the'line 26 into the I jets. After the solution has passed through the material,

it drops back into the wash solution tank 20. Although not shown, itisundersto'od that means'can be provided for'replenishing the solution-and also for heating it.

After the cloth passes through the first jets, it is picked up by a second set of'belts, 28 and 30, and passed under a rinsing jet 32. This jet is supplied with water from the:

tank 34 through the pump 36. The cloth is next subjected to the bleaching solution from jet 38 and is passed over the drums 40 and 42, which are shown as relatively large drums used to allow the bleaching solution sufficient'time to act. It will be noted that the bleach solution is supplied from tank 37 through pump 39. a

The cloth then passes under the rinse jet 44, which is shown supplied with Water from the rinse tank 46 through the pump 48. At this point, the material is picked up by a third set of belts 51 and 53. The material then passes through the drying chamber, generally designated 50,"

where it passes over the relatively large drums 52 and 54 I while air is constantly circulated through the chamber by means of fan 56 which passes the'air through the heater and dehumidifier 58. The I cloth, which has been subjected to continuous washing',,rinsing, bleaching and drying operations, is then discharged from the port 8.

()bviously, many modifications and variations of the;

present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be pracf ticed otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim:

1. A process of washing fabric materials comp rising: supporting the fabric material on a movable rigid support,

moving the support and fabric material to 'be washed across the path of a jet stream of washing fluid to subject V a said opening at a velocity per second. r

4 A process of' washing fabric materials comprising: continuously moving-the material to be washed across the path of an unsubmerged jet stream of washing fluid to subject successive portions of the material to the jet action of the stream, supporting the fabric material on a rigid support'at the point where said jet stream strikes the fabric material, said stream being in the general form of a narrow, elongated rectangle when viewed in cross section and including at least one jet emanating from an opening extending in the direction of the narrow dimension of. said stream a distance not greater than about 0.05 inch, and said jet emanating from said opening at a velocity of at least about 360 inches per second.

5. A process of 'washingfabricmaterials comprising: sweeping portions of the material with a jet stream of washingfluid, supporting the fabric material on a rigid support at the point where the jet stream sweeps the fabric materiah'said stream being in the form of a narrow, elongatedrectangle when viewed in cross section, said stream including at least one jet emanating from anunsubmerged opening disposed in spaced-apart relanarrow dimension of said stream a-distance not greater than about OLOSinch, and said jet emanating'from said opening; at r a second. v 6. jAi process of washing fabric materials'comprising: moving amaterialto be washed across thepaths of a velocity of at least about 360- inches per plurality of-jet streams of washing ,fluid in succession extending in a direction generally parallel tothe vdirection of'movement-of said material a distance not greater successive portions of the fabric-material to the jet actionf] of the stream,'said stream emanatingfrom 'an unsubmerged source at a velocity of at least 360 inches per second, said stream having a relatively wide dimension in one direction but emanating-from at least one opening having a narrow dimension not greater than about 0.05

inch. a V V 2. A process of washing fabric material comprising: supporting the fabric material on a movable rigid support, moving thesupport and fabric material to, be washed than aboutOIOS inch, and said jets each emanating from its opening'at second; V

7. A process asdefinedin claim 6 wherein the plurality ,of' jet streams direct washing fluid against both the oppositesides, ofthe'material. v

a .velocity of at least, about 360 inches per 3 8. A processfor washing fabrics comprising: supportsaid jet having amaxim-um' thickness through the naracross the path of a jet stream of washing fluid to subject I successive portions of the fabric material to the jet action of the stream, said stream emanating from an unsubmerged source ata velocity of at 1east7360 inchespersecond, said'stream emanating from at leastone jetopene ing having a narrow dimensionnot, greater than about: 0.05 inch extending in a direction generally parallel to the direction of movement of the fabric material with J respecttosaid opening, said strea'm'having a relatively with respect to said opening.

row-dimension thereof of 50' mils, said jet emanating from'a'source spaced from the point of impactupon said textile material no morethan 1% inches, and emanating from said source at a'velocit'y of at least about 360 inches per-second, said-fabric being advanced at a velocity'such that; the total energy applied to each square, inch of said "fabric being, cleaned by the action of said jet of washing'fluid is'atgleast onejjoule,-the speed of travel of .the fabric throughythe ,rnachine'being' greater than 50 ft/mine; V I

9. A process for washing fabrics-comprising: supporting a-fabric 'to be cleaned; on a rigid "support and ad- 3. A process of washing fabric' materials comprising:

be washed across' the pathof an unsubmerg'ed jet stream of washing .fluid to subject successive portions of the ,fabric material .to the jet action of the stream; said; sream including at least one jet emanating from an opening having one dimension not greater. than about 0.05

- v1ewed m v;cross sect1on, sa d fabric being advanced in a warming said fabric thereonbeneath a jet-of washing fluid,

said jet consistin'gpfa narrow,'elongated rectangle when 'directionparallel to theynarrow dimension of saidjet,

row dimension thereof"of;"50mils,-;said jet emanating fromfa source spaced from the point of impact vupon said -.textilem ateria1 no more than 1 /2 inches, and, emanating from, saidsourceat a velocity of'at least'about 360 inches inch measu'red in a direction generally parallel" to thea direction of movementof said .fabric material with re-.

'spect to said jet openingand said jet emanating from per second, said fabric being advanced at-a velocity'such tsaidlfabricxbeing -cleaned byth'e action. offsaid jet of of at least about 360 inchesv washing fluid is at least one joule, the wash solution containing an organic solvent.

10. A process for washing fabrics comprising: supporting a fabric to be cleaned on a rigid support and advancing said fabric thereon beneath a jet of washing fluid, said jet consisting of a narrow, elongated rectangle when viewed in cross section, said fabric being advanced in a direction parallel to the narrow dimension of said jet, said jet having a maximum thickness through the narrow dimension thereof of 50 mils, said jet emanating from a source spaced from the point of impact upon said textile material no more than 1% inches, and emanating from said source at a velocity of at least about 360 inches I per second, said fabric being advanced at a velocity such that the total energy applied to each square inch of said fabric being cleaned by the action of said jet of washing fluid is at least one joule, the washing being conducted under conditions whereby an E6 value of not over 30 is employed wherein E is the energy in joules applied to each square inch of cloth, and G is the number of gallons of wash solution applied to each 100 square inches of cloth.

11. A process for washing fabric materials comprising: supporting a fabric to be cleaned on a rigid support and advancing said fabric thereon beneath a plurality of jets of Washing fluid, each of said jets consisting of a continuous, narrow, elongated rectangle when viewed in cross section, said fabric being advanced in a direction paral lel to the narrow dimension of each of said jets, each of said jets having a maximum thickness through the narrow dimension thereof of mils, each of said jets emanating from an unsubmerged source spaced from the point of impact upon said fabric no more than 1% inches, and emanating from said sources at velocities of at least 360 inches per second, said fabric being advanced at a velocity such that after passage beneath all of the said jets, said fabric will have had imparted to each square inch of fabric being cleaned a total energy of at least one joule through the action of said jets of washing fluid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 338,096 3/86 Meikle 68-205 X 1,175,538 3/16 Matos 68-62 2,366,136 12/44 Waldstein 68-205 X 2,724,955 11/55 Spooner 68-205 2,736,632 2/56 Blau 28-205 X 2,773,375 12/56 Cox 68-205 X 2,900,991 8/59 Arnold 68-205 X 2,904,981 9/59 Macomson 8--159 FOREIGN PATENTS 648,609 1/51 Great Britain.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

M. O. WOLK, I. BUNEVICH, Examiners. 

1. A PROCESS FOR WASHING FABRIC MATERIALS COMPRISING: SUPPORTING THE FABRIC MATERIAL ON A MOVABLE RIGID SUPPORT, MOVING THE SUPPORT AND FABRIC MATERIAL TO BE WASHED ACROSS THE PATH OF A JET STREAM OF WASHING FLUID TO SUBJECT SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF THE FABRIC MATERIAL TO THE JET ACTION OF THE STREAM, SAID STREAM EMANTING FROM AN UNSUBMERGED SOURCE AT A VELOCITY OF AT LEAST 360 INCHES PER SECOND, SAID STREAM HAVING A RELATIVELY WIDE DIMENSION IN ONE DIRECTION BUT EMANATING FROM AT LEAST ONE OPENING HAVING A NARROW DIMENSION NOT GREATER THAN ABOUT 0.05 INCH. 